Eleven-time Grammy winner Brandi Carlile has made a resurgence. She arrives with her first solo album in four years, titled “Returning To Myself.”

Unfortunately, Carlile’s early release of her first single off the album, the title track “Returning to Myself,” missed the period of eligibility to be nominated for a Grammy by four days.

Over the past few years, Carlile has been one of the busiest musicians in the music world. She has worked her way into countless projects with various artists. This includes a song with Noah Kahan, “You’re Gonna Go Far (with Brandi Carlile),” with Hozier on “Damage Gets Done (feat. Brandi Carlile),” a cover of “Closer to Fine” for “Barbie ” with her wife Catherine Shepherd and a collaborative album titled “Who Believes In Angels?” with Elton John. 

Carlile also founded the Looking Out Foundation alongside Tim and Phil Hanseroth in 2008. She has been actively using the foundation to fund and support social justice and humanitarian causes globally, including sponsoring disaster relief aid, incarceration prevention and self-defense workshops for marginalized communities. 

Her objective when producing “Returning to Myself” was to translate the voice of song into the voice of action, refocusing her musical identity and her place in the industry. Carlile makes her intentions clear by downscaling the entire album’s production, making it sound personal and intimate.

The full album was released on October 24. Carlile unveiled an expanded version of the album on October 29, complete with exclusive commentary on each track. The original 43-minute tracklist runs as follows.

“Returning To Myself”

Carlile told Variety that she had initially written the lyrics to “Returning to Myself” as a poem, with “a literal hangover and [while] having an existential crisis.” 

The eponymously titled song, released alongside a music video, offers an in-depth look on Carlile’s relationship with God and her journey with self-care and solitude. 

“Is that what it means to be evolved?” Carlile said to Variety. “Are we really here with all these other people to exist in solitude and be alone?”

“Human”

The lyrics of this song appear to be concerns voiced by Carlile’s loved ones regarding the toll her career has taken on her, both physically and mentally. Carlile opens the song with the heartbreaking “Baby, you’re only gonna hurt your back, looking down like that, cut yourself a little more slack. Baby, you’re gonna have a heart attack, and they won’t thank you, they don’t make awards for that.” 

“Human” is earnestly raw and was published alongside a striking music video.

“A Woman Oversees”

Asking the questions that pry at a person’s morality, “A Woman Oversees” demonstrates the lack of trust in a one-sided relationship. Carlile takes the dominant role in the conversation, singing about the vulnerability in opening up to someone. In a way, the song’s soft humming, layered vocals and jazzy piano musical style pays tribute to her idol and inspiration, Joni Mitchell.

“A War With Time”

In “A War With Time,” Carlile retells the longing and desire felt in knowing someone has to leave but wanting them to stay longer. “I’m living in a war with time,” Carlile said, “and I’m never gonna wanna let you go. But I want you to go. Don’t even ask me, just go.” 

Justin Vernon, one of Carlile’s producers, stepped in with the background vocals, imbuing the listener in the same conflicted feelings Carlile is struggling with.

“Anniversary”

“Anniversary” explores the weight of the past, while balancing the emotional weight of the present. With melancholic soft vocals and rich, deep strings humming in the background, Carlile depicts a specific anniversary date as looming and intimidating. 

Despite the years gone by, she misses whatever memories were associated with the date, “it’s just an ordinary day now,” Carlile laments to end the song.

“Church & State”

Political anthem “Church & State” is the standout on the album. Carlile told Variety that the inspiration came while she “was reading [about] a conversation on the First Amendment instead of a guitar solo.” 

Having a musically different sound than every other track, “Church & State” is vibrant and powerful. She leaves no subtlety, exploring the line between religion and its involvement in the government. “There’s so much wisdom in the Constitution … we can’t rule over people with our interpretation of an extremely opaque scripture and religion,” Carlile said. 

Although “Returning to Myself” is intended to be a revival of the softer, more tender part of Carlile, “Church & State” embraces familiar, loud powerhouse vocals Carlile’s fans have grown to love.

“Joni”

Written for Joni Mitchell, long time friend of Carlile, “Joni” consists of Carlile’s tribute to all the musical elements she borrows from Mitchell. The song itself takes after one of Mitchell’s songs, through soft instrumentals and intense vocals. 

“And when I tell you I love you and you tell me ‘Okay,’ I know you believe me, and that’s love in your way,” Carlile sings, showing her appreciation for her idol. She helped Mitchell return to performing after her brain aneurysm, when both artists collaborated at the Newport Folk Festival in 2022.

“You Without Me”

Additionally featured on the album “Who Believes In Angels?” and written with assistance by Bernie Taupin and Elton John, “You Without Me” describes the relationship between a child and their parents and the process of becoming oneself. 

Carlile is devastatingly proud of her child’s newly gained independence, stating that “I would know you anywhere; I found myself in you. Heavy are the hands that hold the changes you go through … Who am I if I’m not you?”

“No One Knows Us”

Sporting the obvious signs of depression, Carlile opens with the question “Can you get out of bed today?” The question likely refers to a childhood friend, as Carlile reminisces on the simpler, naive times of her youth. As the song develops, she delves further into what it means to be a stranger, and the tragedy of what occurs when long-standing relationships break apart.

“A Long Goodbye”

Heartbreaker “A Long Goodbye” contains some of Carlile’s most intricate and complex lyricism. She accepts the hectic nature of love, looking back on her relationship with her wife, accepting that “in a moment, everything could change.” 

She emphasizes that love is a fragile, delicate thing, and the havoc and disorder of humanity is actually a beautiful thing. The end of the album stirs up an impressive amount of emotion with a sense of finality. 

Overall, “Returning To Myself” carries the emotional weight Carlile bears outside of her music career. I rate the album a 3.7 out of 5.